symptoms of dementia in the elderly

Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
Updated on September 03, 2024
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The symptoms of dementia mainly include:

First, impaired memory function, where the patient’s memory loss is very noticeable. Initially, they may not remember recent events, and as the disease progresses, they may not remember past events, such as forgetting how many children they have or their children’s names.

Second, it mainly involves symptoms of impairment in other cognitive areas, such as visual spatial dysfunction, manifesting as not being able to find the bathroom at home, getting lost after going out, and not being able to find the way back home. Additionally, the patient's ability to understand, calculate, and judge will also be significantly impaired, and they cannot master previously learned knowledge and skills.

Third, in the late stages, some psychiatric symptoms appear, including visual and auditory hallucinations, and agitated behaviors such as hitting and cursing. Additionally, the patient may also experience some physical weakness, muscle atrophy, and incontinence.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Causes of Dementia

At present, the specific causes and mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease are not very clear, but they are mainly divided into two categories. The first category is hereditary, where some Alzheimer's disease cases have a clear family history and involve some genetic mutations. These genetic mutations lead to the deposition of abnormal proteins within neurons, causing irreversible neuronal death, which is the main reason for familial Alzheimer’s disease. The second category is sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, for which no clear pathogenesis has been identified. Research suggests that factors such as oxidative stress, trauma, cerebrovascular disease, cerebral ischemia, and other factors, including metabolic conditions leading to dementia, are related to the occurrence of sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, the causes of Alzheimer’s disease include two main categories: the first is caused by genetic mutations, and the second is caused by various adverse factors leading to neuronal death.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Can dementia be cured?

The most common disease causing dementia in the elderly is Alzheimer's disease. This disease has a very high prevalence rate both in China and globally. Currently, there is no cure for this disease, and the symptoms typically worsen progressively. However, there are measures that can be taken to possibly slow the progression of the disease, improve the cognitive functions of patients, enhance their quality of life, and reduce the burden on families. The common treatment methods for dementia are as follows. The first point involves pharmacological treatments, mainly using cholinesterase inhibitors, which can improve cognitive levels to some extent. If the patient exhibits psychiatric symptoms, some antipsychotic medications can be applied. Secondly, these patients should also engage in behavioral therapies, such as learning more, reading more, participating in more outdoor activities, and interacting more with others, which can also achieve the effect of slowing the progression of the disease. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Can senile dementia be cured?

Dementia in the elderly is a clinical syndrome caused by the irreversible death of neurons. So far, the mechanism of the disease is not particularly clear, making it very difficult to cure dementia completely. However, there are some corresponding treatment methods that can delay the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life of patients as much as possible. These treatments mainly include exercise therapy, which involves getting patients to participate in appropriate physical activities that can promote cognitive development. In addition, letting patients listen to music more often, interact more with others, and continue learning can also delay the progression of aging. Furthermore, there are some medications that can improve the symptoms of dementia. Currently, the most commonly used worldwide are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which can increase the levels of acetylcholine and thereby improve cognitive function to some extent and slow the progression of the disease. Additionally, if elderly individuals exhibit some psychiatric symptoms, they can also be given some atypical antipsychotic medications to alleviate the condition.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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What to eat for senile dementia

For patients with dementia, it is recommended to take some cholinesterase inhibitors, which can increase the content of acetylcholine in the brain and have certain effects on improving cognitive functions. Additionally, consuming NMDA receptor antagonists can also help improve cognition. In terms of diet, it is advised that patients eat more foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, shrimp, and olive oil. It's also beneficial to consume plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, which are rich in vitamin C and can help combat oxidative stress. Drinking more milk and eating foods rich in B vitamins, mainly whole grains, is also recommended. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Symptoms of dementia in the elderly

Dementia in the elderly is medically known as Alzheimer's disease, which is categorized into mild, moderate, and severe stages. The clinical manifestations vary with the severity of the disease. Mild dementia primarily presents as memory impairment, starting with a decline in short-term memory, where patients often forget daily activities. For instance, they might forget the way home when they go out, forget to add salt when cooking, or forget to turn off the stove. Patients may also exhibit personality disorders, such as neglecting personal hygiene or not wanting to bathe. As the disease progresses to moderate dementia, besides worsening memory impairment, the patient's ability to work, learn new knowledge, and communicate with others significantly diminishes. There is a notable decline in previously acquired knowledge and skills, such as judgment and calculation abilities. They may also experience aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, and some patients may exhibit significant behavioral and psychological abnormalities. With further progression to severe dementia, patients may become emotionally detached, exhibit unpredictable crying or laughing, fail to recognize family members, lose verbal abilities, and even become unable to perform simple tasks such as dressing or eating. They may spend their days in bed, not speaking, and gradually lose contact with the outside world, ultimately leading to death.